Funnel cakes, large rides and fun are only some aspects of the annual McLean Day festival produced by the McLean Community Center (MCC). A very important and far-reaching activity, the election of the Center’s new Governing Board members, also takes place that day. The board sets policies and provides general oversight for all the facilities and programs of the Center, including the Robert Ames Alden Theatre and the Old Firehouse Teen Center.
Residents of Dranesville Small District 1A are eligible to vote during the election, which will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, May 19, at Lewinsville Park, 1659 Chain Bridge Rd. Residents also may vote by absentee ballot which started Monday, April 9, and runs through Wednesday, May 16. The entrance to the park will serve as "campaign central" for the tax district residents running for a seat on the Center’s 2012–2013 Governing Board.
Three adult positions and two youth positions are open this year. The adult candidates who receive the three-highest vote counts will serve three-year terms. Youth candidates, one from the
McLean High School boundary area and one from the Langley High School boundary area, will serve one-year terms. Youth candidates do not have to attend these schools to serve on the board.
Adult Candidate Personal Statements
Susan Bourgeois
For the past three years, I have had the privilege of serving as a Governing Board member. Like my support for facility improvements to the Alden, I will work to define future improvements so that they are of a kind and quality reflective of our community and which are a good use of capital surplus funds. I have consistently voted for a reduction in the district tax rate to minimize the surplus while keeping in mind that to be "the center of it all," MCC should have a larger presence in the downtown area leveraging the Old Firehouse successes.
Laurelie Wallace
I’m interested in becoming a member of the McLean Community Center Board for a number of reasons. First, McLean is my hometown. I was born and raised here. I left McLean to attend
boarding school, college and graduate school but returned back to the place that has always been home to me. Now that I am in my thirties, I want to give back to the place that has given me
so much. Even though McLean has changed and evolved over the years, I want it to be just as special to future generations as it has been for me.
Youth Candidate Personal Statements - McLean High School area
Craig McKenzie
As a high school honors student, I have brought change to McLean through the community and teen centers. I have been a member of the Teen Council for three years and serve as president. I have been a volunteer in the teen, special events, and youth departments of the community center as well as at Georgetown University Hospital earning the H. Gordon Randall, DAR and
MCA citizens’ awards. I served the governing board from 2010-2011 supporting property tax decreases. As a member of the Governing Board, I will increase programming for underserved
groups and build a downtown facility.
Malika Nimmagadda
From a young age, I have participated in the McLean Little League and the McLean Youth Basketball programs. Additionally, I am a student at McLean High School and I also work at the McLean Racquet and Health Club. My experiences and activities help me relate to a wide spectrum of teenagers in our community. I am well organized, optimistic and have a "can-do" attitude. My presence on the Governing Board would improve the involvement of teens in our community and I would also be an exceptional liaison in conveying both the complaints and suggestions of the teens in our area.
Langley High School area
Drew Armstrong
My name is Drew Armstrong and I am running to be your youth representative to the McLean Community Center Governing Board from Langley High School. At Langley High School, I have been a Student Government Association Representative, and heavily involved in both sports (Cross Country and Soccer) and clubs (Young Democrats, Otto’s Army, and the Debate Team). I have also represented Langley at the county level as a representative to the Student Advisory Council. In conclusion, I’m sure this brief bio is quite a dull read, but I assure you, if elected, I will speak up for McLean’s betterment.
Will Ferrer
I am currently a sophomore enrolled in the IB program at George C. Marshall High School in Falls Church, Va. At my school, I am involved in student government and I am a member of Marshall’s SGA executive board. I’m also a junior officer of my school’s Octagon Club, a national community service organization. In my free time, I take classes at McLean High School, learning American Sign Language in addition to running for Marshall’s track team. As an active member of the community, I would hope to make a difference on the McLean Community Center Governing Board.
*Write-in Candidates are allowed. Write-in candidates must have at least 10 votes from 10 residents of the Center’s tax district in order to have their votes counted. For youth write-in candidates, the 10 votes must come from teens who live within the same high school boundary area as the candidate.
*Absentee ballots are available for those who cannot attend McLean Day. A resident may request an absentee ballot package by phone (703-790-0123, TTY: 711) or Email (elections@mcleancenter.org), or may pick one up at the Center, which is located at 1234 Ingleside Avenue in McLean. Completed ballot packages must be received at the Center by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, May 16.
For more information on the MCC Governing Board Election, call the Center at 703-790-0123/TTY: 711, or visit www.mcleancenter.org.